| tech.knockout |
There are recommendations to me about using the DCX2496 as an active crossover + equaliser.
Thinking about it, why do I need a behringer if I have a PC(quiet 2.4 Pentium 4), Brutefir is free, and I can get a quality Delta sound card for 2.5 times less money than a behringer. The future sub would be used to aid stereo music, thus I dont need many channels.
Is there a catch? (I think there is)
I searched, alot of the discussion is over the top as far as Im concerned. Whats this talk abt FIR filters,etc? |
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| UrSv |
| Nothing wrong with that AFAICT but I personally don't like the idea of booting my PC whenever I want to listen to some music neither to have a PC where my listening environment is. Furthermore I am quite sure that some people would think that a PC is not producing quite the same quality as a PC would. Depending on your goal and budget it is either OK or not... |
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| kfr01 |
I've been going over the same research. Isn't it hard to believe that our powerful PC's don't have a readily available digital crossover solution!
As I said in another post, even my Eclipse car deck does digital crossover w/ a nice little gui interface w/ adjustable slope, etc.
It just seems silly in this day of cheap pc processing power to buy a separate peice of hardware for a few hundred bucks. Let me know what you are finding!
I really want to get into speaker building and it just seems like the entire passive crossover step shouldn't be necessary in this day and age. Maybe I'm wrong .. but after my experience with digital time correction, parametric eq, and digital crossovers in my car I'm sold on the concept of eliminating passive crossovers from the system. Any real reason not to be so sold? |
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| tech.knockout |
| quote: | Originally posted by UrSv
Nothing wrong with that AFAICT but I personally don't like the idea of booting my PC whenever I want to listen to some music neither to have a PC where my listening environment is. Furthermore I am quite sure that some people would think that a PC is not producing quite the same quality as a PC would. Depending on your goal and budget it is either OK or not... |
the extra cost and the extra hours you have to work to earn that, is probably an even more inconvenience than the moments waiting for the com to boot up, especially since my com is on most days anyways. Also a major proportion of my music is stored on the com. |
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| tech.knockout |
Ive seen the thread, but most of it is just debate and some arguments between analog hardware vs digital people. theres another thread thats far more relevent in the loudspkeaer forum: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/show...t=&pagenumber=1
I think the difficulty is in designing FIR filters? A search on google proves me that designing FIR filters is completely out of my scope.
What I need is a brief outline of what has to be done. |
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| tech.knockout |
After some more research I seem to get the picture. User friendly and ready made EQ/crossover programs use IIR filters, which have problems. There are no such programs made that use FIR filters, which exhibit less problems. Many people here of course, arent satisfied, and try to DIY their way out. Hence alot of the discussion I saw was from people (pioneers if you like) trying to deride programs that use FIR filters right and talking about all this complicated stuff, and thus I had no idea wat was going on. Of course the thought of me trying to design my own FIR software is ridiculous.
Since the Behringer DCX2496 use IIR filters, I might as well use a ready made software program. Either way I lose, and I ll have to wait until some person produces a user friendly FIR software package.
Is this wat is going on, or am I still off the track? |
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| MWP |
You dont have to write software, just use other peoples (though it still isnt easy).
I sugest you go look at "AlmusVCU":
http://www.ludd.luth.se/~torger/almusvcu.html
Its looking like a good single piece of software for config, creating filters and running them. |
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| kfr01 |
| quote: | Originally posted by MWP
You dont have to write software, just use other peoples (though it still isnt easy).
I sugest you go look at "AlmusVCU":
http://www.ludd.luth.se/~torger/almusvcu.html
Its looking like a good single piece of software for config, creating filters and running them. |
omg. Is this for real? This is exactly what I've been searching for. Does anyone have any experience with it? How is the stability / sound quality? |
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| tech.knockout |
| quote: | Originally posted by MWP
You dont have to write software, just use other peoples (though it still isnt easy).
I sugest you go look at "AlmusVCU":
http://www.ludd.luth.se/~torger/almusvcu.html
Its looking like a good single piece of software for config, creating filters and running them. |
I think you are overestimating my abilities. I happen to have recently discovered the benefits of dipoles and active crossovers, and people have said I can easily do it by using the behringer dcx2496. I just want around the same easy interface/usability(give or take a little) applied to a PC. Its a long way off in comparison to making filters, etc, and the DOS-like command line interface :eek: .
edit: something like the kx-project that can support the creative EMU/M-Audio Delta semi-professional sound cards. |
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| MWP |
Ok.
First question... Windows or Linux?
Or should i say, are you familiar with Linux and Bash? |
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| tech.knockout |
| quote: | Originally posted by MWP
Ok.
First question... Windows or Linux?
Or should i say, are you familiar with Linux and Bash? |
I use windows and its been a long time since I installed Linux myself and tried it (sheer curiosity). Too bad not many games/apps support it (dunno if thats still the case), eventually it got wiped out when I formatted my computer due to spyware. So I aint familiar with Linux. |
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| mhelin |
Ok,
Then you could try foobar2000 in Windows with the FIR xover plugin. |
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| MWP |
| quote: | Originally posted by mhelin
Ok,
Then you could try foobar2000 in Windows with the FIR xover plugin. |
Agreed :)
But of course it means everything you play outside of Foobar (games, movies, etc) wont be xover'ed :( |
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| tech.knockout |
| quote: | Originally posted by MWP
Agreed :)
But of course it means everything you play outside of Foobar (games, movies, etc) wont be xover'ed :( |
So theres nothing user friendly that controls the card at the 'universal' level?
What about this?: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/show...light=kxproject
Is this what Im looking for, or did the guy have to do some programming/designing,etc to make the crossover/EQ work? |
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| MWP |
Not sure... looks like it may do it for you.
But your then restricted to using SB Live/Extigy cards. |
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| tech.knockout |
| quote: | Originally posted by MWP
Not sure... looks like it may do it for you.
But your then restricted to using SB Live/Extigy cards. |
If im not mistaken I can also use one of Creative's line of professional sound cards, the EMU 1212m.(which are reputed to be very good, ironic coming from creative) It uses an audigy DSP chip. |
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| dwk123 |
| quote: | Originally posted by tech.knockout
If im not mistaken I can also use one of Creative's line of professional sound cards, the EMU 1212m.(which are reputed to be very good, ironic coming from creative) It uses an audigy DSP chip. |
The KX drivers do not work with the Emu cards. I have no idea whether anyone is attempting to get them to work, though |
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| JinMTVT |
been looking forever for the same possibilities as you all are.
We need something that would work under Windows
and affect the output sound directly before the card output
so it could work with all applications ( music player, dvd, games..)
Also it would require to be able to use multi channel cards,
so with Xover filters, each channel would output for the specific amplifier/driver combo or output it all with the correct information on digital output !
Then we can add room corrections, and a parametric EQ or somethin better, and it would be heaven :)
i am sure that a good setup of direct X filters could provide near to this now, just didn't find the correct filters yet :(
need to be able to control the channel output on the card
+ Xovers and then add filters on top of each output!
using direct X could mean that it would work with games,DVD and correct confiture music player! :) |
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| kfr01 |
| quote: | Originally posted by JinMTVT
been looking forever for the same possibilities as you all are.
We need something that would work under Windows
and affect the output sound directly before the card output
so it could work with all applications ( music player, dvd, games..)
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I'm totally surprised there isn't a product out there like this. Obviously there is a market for it. I'd pay hundreds for a workable software solution like this. |
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| dangus |
| My 2 cents: if it's possible to use the DSP on the sound card, that has to be better than tying up the PC. It should also mean you could run an older PC like a Pentium I which doesn't need as much cooling, and which is dirt cheap so you can afford to dedicate it just to being a crossover or EQ. |
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| mhelin |
| AFAIK, there are no FIR filters for the Soundblaster DSP. |
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| mhelin |
| Another problem with SB Emu10kx DSP: it uses fixed 16 bit/48 kHz sampling rate even though the latest Audigy cards otherwise support 24 bit/96 kHz format. |
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| mhelin |
| Echo Audio's soundcards all have a Motorola DSP onboard, but I don't think it's possible to write own code for it. On Event web site there is a SDK available, but the DSP code is missing, it's there but as binary constants in C programs. Maybe you could use a disassembler to convert the code in more readibly format and then rewrite it to support downloadable FIR impulse responses? |
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| JinMTVT |
the DSP has to be software, since we will need the best coverage of the different sound cards ... i do not see myself restricted to only 1-2 cards just because we need the chip that is on it.
Then if you wish to get a low DB lox cost computer, don't get something old, because you will be lacking in power for DSP, video and such ..
my computer runs HDTV ( and records it too :) ) so it needs to be fast ...
Then 24bit 96hz is a minimum unless you only intend to listen CD music
neway ... i'd also pay a few hundreds without problem is there would be a software solution
that would give as much control as something like :
DEQX or BSS minidrives .. |
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